Fuchsia plant named ‘Sanifreho’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Fuchsia  plant named ‘Sanifreho’, characterized by its compact and semi-upright growth habit; freely branching plant habit; bright red and white bi-colored double flowers; freely and continuous flowering habit; long flowering period; and tolerance to low and high temperatures.

Botanical designation: Fuchsia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Sanifreho’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Fuchsia, botanically known as Fuchsia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sanifreho’.

The new Fuchsia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new outwardly arching Fuchsia cultivars with numerous flowers and attractive flower coloration and form.

The new Fuchsia originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventors in 2002 in Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan of a proprietary selection of Fuchsia×hybrida identified as code number aoq-1, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Fuchsia×hybrida identified as code number aez-42, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Fuchsia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan.

Asexual reproduction of the new Fuchsia by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan and Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, since January, 2003, has shown that the unique features of this new Fuchsia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Sanifreho has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sanifreho’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sanifreho’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Fuchsia:

-   -   1. Compact and semi-upright growth habit.     -   2. Freely branching plant habit; bushy habit.     -   3. Bright red and white bi-colored double flowers.     -   4. Freely and continuous flowering habit; long flowering period.     -   5. Tolerant to low and high temperatures.

Plants of the new Fuchsia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Fuchsia have shorter calyx tubes than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Fuchsia and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection         have light pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Fuchsia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are more upright than and not as         outwardly spreading as plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Fuchsia have shorter sepals than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Fuchsia and the male parent selection         differ in flower coloration and form as plants of the male         parent selection have single purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Fuchsia can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Sanicomf, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,453. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan, plants of the new Fuchsia and the cultivar Sanicomf differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Fuchsia had thicker stems than plants of         the cultivar Sanicomf.     -   2. Plants of the new Fuchsia had larger leaves than plants of         the cultivar Sanicomf.     -   3. Plants of the new Fuchsia had larger flowers than plants of         the cultivar Sanicomf.     -   4. Plants of the new Fuchsia had double flowers whereas plants         of the cultivar Sanicomf had single flowers.     -   5. Plants of the new Fuchsia and the cultivar Sanicomf differed         in petal color as plants of the cultivar Sanicomf had red         purple-colored petals.     -   6. Plants of the new Fuchsia had broader sepals than plants of         the cultivar Sanicomf.     -   7. Plants of the new Fuchsia had longer peduncles than plants of         the cultivar Sanicomf.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Fuchsia, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Fuchsia.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sanifreho’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up of typical flowers of ‘Sanifreho’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan, under commercial practice in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse with day temperatures ranging from 15° C. to 32° C. and night temperatures ranging from 10° C. to 25° C. Plants were grown for about one year with one plant per 13.5-cm container. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Fuchsia×hybrida cultivar Sanifreho. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Fuchsia×hybrida identified as code number aoq-1, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Fuchsia×hybrida identified as code number aez-42, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About one week at temperatures of             20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About three weeks at             temperatures of 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; yellowish white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Semi-upright and compact plant             habit; mounding. Freely branching; with lateral branches             developing potentially at every node; bushy habit. Vigorous             growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 35 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 35 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 15 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 3.4 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly arching.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Close to N79B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 6.7 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.6 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Sparsely pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: Close to 146A.             Developing foliage, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully             expanded foliage, upper surface: Close to 146B; venation,             close to 146B. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Close             to 147B; venation, close to 147B.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 9.7 mm. Diameter: About 1.7 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to N79B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Double bi-colored axillary             flowers. Flowers pendulous. Flowers not fragrant. Freely             flowering habit with potentially two flowers per leaf axil.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period; in Japan,             plants flower from spring to autumn; flowering continuous             during this period. Flowers last about three to four days on             the plant. Flowers not persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5.1 cm.         -   Flower height (depth).—About 3.7 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Shape: Lenticular. Length: About 2.9 cm.             Diameter: About 1.4 cm. Color: Close to 50A.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Typically 18 to 24 in two to three             whorls. Length: About 2.1 cm. Width: About 2 cm. Shape:             Obovate. Apex: Truncate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny.             Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             N155B; venation, close to 50A. Fully opened, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to N155B.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Calyx star-shaped with four sepals             fused at the base. Length: About 2.6 cm. Width: About             1.1 cm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny.             Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close             to 50A. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close             to 50A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.3 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Angle: Arching. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture:             Sparsely pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Eight per flower.             Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 4.8 mm by             1.6 mm. Anther color: Close to 61B. Pollen amount: Moderate.             Pollen color: Close to 2D. Pistils: Quantity: One per             flower. Pistil length: About 6.2 cm. Style color: Close to             N57A. Stigma shape: Ellipsoidal. Stigma color: Close to 53C.             Ovary color: Close to 144A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Fuchsia. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Fuchsia have good     temperature tolerance and have been observed to tolerate     temperatures ranging from about −2° C. to about 33° C. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Fuchsia have not been     observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to Fuchsia. 

1. A new and distinct Fuschia plant named ‘Sanifreho’ as illustrated and described. 